Big Data Brings Recruitment into the 21st Century

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Until quite recently, recruitment methods and motivation were underdeveloped and carelessly implemented. A vague urge to stay clear of trouble and to make sure the company did the ‘right thing’ in terms of meeting targets, was inefficient and unproductive. Driven by emotion and historical best practice instead of using hard data and information, diversity initiatives often failed to identify the up and coming employees that companies want to work with.

Research shows that increased diversity within a company has a positive effect on business results and market share, not to mention sales. As elements of the business come to have more of a provable impact, they rightly become strategised as an imperative function. Analysing the recruitment process can help businesses identify who will be the high-fliers of the future, and make sure they are meeting the requirements of an increasingly diverse talent pool.

There is increasing diversity in society, and diverse subgroups are using ever-wider bases of social media. Being across those is vital for companies to accurately and measurably hit targets. As the definitions around diversity widen, methodologies have to tally this with the expectations of Generation Z now beginning to enter the workplace.

Companies using an evidence-based approach for monitoring their hiring funnel around vital demographic information (such as age, gender and ethnicity), are giving themselves a better chance of success. Those in charge of diversity recruitment can, and should, use data and advanced analytics to answer questions that were previously done ‘by feel’. Solid info can inform organisations on what the best employer branding approach is, or the most effective candidate closing approach. This means companies not only have an increased awareness of how to engage with diverse communities, but how to make sure their ideal worker ends up working for them!

Just a few of the areas companies should be collecting data on to optimise their recruitment drives are: how people hear about job roles, attraction and turnoff factors, preferred communication channels, even down to keywords used in a recruitment drive. Whilst other areas of a business move towards data-driven modelling, recruitment (especially when it comes to diversity), seems to be stuck in the Stone Age. A call from the c-suite for modernisation and a ‘coming into line’ with the rest of the businesses data-driven core strategies, is sorely needed.

If employers want diversity results they need to measure it, reward it, and use data to continually update their recruiting approaches. Unless methods can show their effectiveness with hard evidence in the form of data, they should be reduced and removed. Data shows companies what’s working, and by focusing on those methods, they can ensure optimised initiatives. Ultimately, using outdated 20th-century approaches and tools in a 21st-century recruitment marketplace will simply not work. To better achieve diversity, companies need to utilise data. It opens up new methods, refines existing processes, and makes for happier, and more profitable companies.

Solid info can inform organisations on what the best employer branding approach is, or the most effective candidate closing approach.

Companies using an evidence-based approach for monitoring their hiring funnel around vital demographic information (such as age, gender and ethnicity), are giving themselves a better chance of success. Those in charge of diversity recruitment can, and should, use data and advanced analytics to answer questions that were previously done ‘by feel’. Solid info can inform organisations on what the best employer branding approach is, or the most effective candidate closing approach. This means companies not only have an increased awareness of how to engage with diverse communities, but how to make sure their ideal worker ends up working for them!

Just a few of the areas companies should be collecting data on to optimise their recruitment drives are: how people hear about job roles, attraction and turnoff factors, preferred communication channels, even down to keywords used in a recruitment drive. Whilst other areas of a business move towards data-driven modelling, recruitment (especially when it comes to diversity), seems to be stuck in the Stone Age. A call from the c-suite for modernisation and a ‘coming into line’ with the rest of the businesses data-driven core strategies, is sorely needed.

If employers want diversity results they need to measure it, reward it, and use data to continually update their recruiting approaches. Unless methods can show their effectiveness with hard evidence in the form of data, they should be reduced and removed. Data shows companies what’s working, and by focusing on those methods, they can ensure optimised initiatives. Ultimately, using outdated 20th-century approaches and tools in a 21st-century recruitment marketplace will simply not work. To better achieve diversity, companies need to utilise data. It opens up new methods, refines existing processes, and makes for happier, and more profitable companies.

Alison McCaig is International HR Director at Teradata, a position she has held since 2012. Previously, Alison worked as EMEA HR Director at Teradata between 2007 and 2012. Prior to this, Alison was the European HR Director at Life Technologies.